Wheel for agricultural tractors



Aug. 7, 1945.

w; 'BOWER WHEEL FOR AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS Filed June 25 1943 2Sheets-Sheet 1' f/vvE/y 70k. WHZTER Bowe v HTTORA/Ey A .7,l945 l a w.BOWER 2,381,639

WHEEL FOR AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS Filed June 25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gfw Patented Aug. 7, 1945 2,381,639 I v "WHEEL FOR AGRICULTURAL TRACTORSWalter Bower, Barlborough, England ApplicationJune 25, 1943, Serial No.492,199 I i In Great Britain November 17, 1942 v 4 Claims. (014301-50)This invention relates to wheels for agricultural tractors and othervehicles.

-An object of the invention is to provide an all metal wheel which willbe capable of maximum tractive effort over soft ground by the provisionof ground engaging sprags extending beyond the boundary of the wheel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide that the sprags shallbe retractible to within the boundary of the'wheel and thereby permit ofuse of the wheel over normal road surfaces without damage thereto by thesprags. I l

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means formounting the sprags'to permit of their manual adjustment so that theycan be readily and speedily extended for operative use or retracted intoan inoperative position.

A further object is'to provide adequate support and firm rigidity tothesprags when in the extended and perative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fabricated wheel ofrobust construction;

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which- Fig. 1is an elevation showing a segment only of one form of tractorwheel madein accordance with this invention, a short circumferential length of thewheel rim being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a half end elevation, partly in section, of the wheel of Fig.-1 except that only two adjacent spokes and one sprag and its supportingmeans associated with one of the spokes is shown for the sake ofclearness, the sprag being shown in the extended position.

Fig. 3 is a somewhat similar view of Fig. 2 but showing the sprag andsupporting means therefor adjacent to that depicted in Fig. 2, twospokes again being shown and the spragbeing shown retracted. Y

Figs. 4, and 6 are similar views to Figs l, 2

and 3, respectively, of an" alternative form of wheel.

In Figs. 1, 2' and 3 an outer member constitutes the rim of the wheeland an inner member ll, spaced therefrom, constitutes an axle receivingboss which is arranged concentric to and slightly to one side of thecentral plane of the wheel. The rim ID and axle receiving boss II areconnected to each other at circumferentially spaced intervals by spokesl2 and 13 at opposite sides of the wheel, the spokes l2 at the one sideheing staggered with the spokes l3 at the other side of the wheel. Therim II] is provided with an integral short radial flange l4 and theouter ends of the spokes are secured to the rim inside the angle formedby the flange M.

' The inner ends of the spokes 12 are welded to the boss H at theperimeter thereof at one side of the wheel and the spokes [3 aresimilarly welded to the boss at the other side of the wheel.

The rim is provided 'with'two circumferential series of rectangularshaped openings and [6, the openings l5 being staggered with theopenings l6 and the outer ends of the spokes I2 and I3 are secured tothe rim in proximity to one end of the openings 15 and I6, respectively.

Disposed across the angle formed by each spoke l2 and I3 is a strut I!one end beingwelded to'the spoke and the other end to the rim ill at apoint remote from said spoke. This strut [1 forms a supportfor a spragcarrying plate 18 which is positioned diagonally across and with itsrear face in contact with and welded to the adjacent edge of the strutH. The sprag carrying plate 18 extends from the inner periphery of therim ID, to which it is welded, to a point distant from the boss II. Thelength of the spra carrying plate l8 projecting inwardly of the wheeland beyond the strut I1, is additionally secured to the said strut by astiffening plate l9 which is'welded along one of its edges to the spragcarrying plate and along one end to the strut. The sprag carrying platesl8 are thereby'rigidly fixed to the wheel so that their outerextremities lie one each alongside and in parallel with one of the.openings 15 and N5 of the rim. Consequently all the sprag carryingplates l8 are disposed angularly with respect to the rim l0 of thewheel, alternate plates l8, however, being disposed in th opposite senseto the remainder as is apparent in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each sprag carrying plate l8 detachably accommodate a blade ofrectangular cross section constituting a sprag 20, the said sprag beingdisposed face to face upon the plate 18 and consequently in alignmentwith the opening l5 or 16 as the case may be. For retaining the spragupon the plate l8 a bolt 2|, lying on its side across the strut l1 andwelded thereto, passes through the plate 18 where its screw threadedprojecting end receives a nut 22. The sprag 20 is provided with alongitudinal slot 23 within the limits of which the said sprag can beadjustably positioned upon the sprag carrying plate [8 and secured bythe nut 22. The sprag carrying plate [8 is provided with a plurality ofaligned holes 24 which are adapted t be selectively engaged by a short.pin 25 secured to and projecting laterally from the sprag 20 at theinner end thereof, thus providing an interlocking hole and pinengagement between the sprag 20 and plate l8 and providing additionalsupport to the sprag. Since the sprag is accommodated upon the plate 20in alignment with an opening IE or IS, the said sprag can be positionedupon the sprag carrying plate I 8 in an extended position projectingthrough said opening as shown in Fig. 2 or retracted with its outer endsubstantially flush with the periphery of the rim III as shown in Fig;3.

It will be noted that the sprags 20 are 50 disposed that their outerends, which are bevelled, are disposed parallel with the groundcontacting face of the rim l and thereby'enten'the ground, when thesprags are extended, moreor less parallel with the surface of the groundBy transposing adjacent spraga. however,, as will be describedhereinafter with ref'erenceto. and as shown in Figs. 4, and 6, saidsprag can. be disposed so that their outer ends will each enter. the;ground". with. a' point foremost.

In: the-alternative form; of; wheel. in Figs" 4;, 5 and: 6;; sprag;carrying: plates, 30- are: utilised? to also constitute spokes for; the:wheel by rigidly connecting the: rim. 3| to; an inner. member 32*consisting of; a ring: concentric to thenim. Ad.- jacent. sprag:carrying-plates extend fr0m a1commorr. circumferential 111189011theinner. member to oppositesidesof thevrimiin pnoximity-toithespragaccommodating; opening, t5 on Hi. The plates 3ft are: thereforedisposed: angularly' to; the plane of the" wheel-,. alternateplate beingdisposectin. the; opposite; sense to: the remainder.

At 'circumierentially' spaced intervals: of. the. inner membertzzeye-lugg 33 are welded.centra-11yto the-inner-peri-phery. thereof andspaced axially therefrom and; welded to theradiaL-edge: ot the innermember-are similar eye-'lugsifla. The wheel can therefore-"be: attached.to; am axler receiving boss (*not shown) by meansofleithenthe:-one-.-se-- ri-esaof eyee-lugs 3:3, orrthe-other series of eyelugs-34, whereby one? or the: other on two-widths of. wheel; bases canv begivem tea a tractor-when: the. wheel'sn.arefitted; theretoz. t I

Each .ot (the spraggcarryingplates 3fl-is strengthenedi by; a: strut 3'5welded.- to:an:- edge thereof: and: to the: rim: 3t and inner member:32-. and the-said sprag carrying plates-.- areadapted: to carry the,sprags 2-0. irr very'similanmannen'totliat illustrated in Etigszdi278111113, that is, byrthe pimand hole engagement: 24 and 25: andl bolt21;. except that the:saidlbolt.is removable and: passestthrduglr thesprag: carrying: plate: 30: in: close enoughlpmx imity to the strut 35':so that the-lsquare mamas of' the: bolt 2'1 fits close up-againstthe-face of the said strut so" as to be prevented by: the latter: fromturning when the nut 22' is tightened upon the bolt. Alternatively,tliebolt; c'an'be' usedthe reverse waysothat tlienut andhe'adaretra-nsposed' and the nut could be weldedon to the strut for the bolt'to be screwedi-nto or-- out'of the nut when a'di'ustingthe sprags zlli 1-In-Figs. 5-'and- 6 the sprags, shoWIr-in full lines'; are assembled inthe same relation tothoseof Figs. 2-arrd 3", that is tosay;,with-theirbevelled outer ends parallel witlir the rim 31. "By" exchanging one for "the" cther'the'sprags Zllof the two-adjacent spragcarryingplates' SOrcpreSented in. Figs. 5 and 6;, it will be seenthat'th esprags will then ,be positioned-with their outer. endsamgularlydisposed withrespecttdthe rilnface' for, enteringjthe ground point.foremost, as. indicated. indot and'dashlines;

,,larly disposed to and intersecting the central plane of the wheel,each of said sprags being also. radial. to:- a. centre which iseccentric to the axis of the wheel.

What 1? claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

L'I'he; combination with a wheel, of a sprag arrangement comprising aseries of sprag carrying" plates secured to the inner periphery of thewheel rim alternately at. opposite sides thereof and adjacent sprag.accommodating: openin s in saidrim;.said.plates extending inwardlyfronrsaid r-im alternately. toioppositersides of the-.wheehand being.angularly disposed tn andintersecting the central plane. of; the wheel,.means disposedlwithin. the wheel for supporting the. inner ends of.said: plates, Slotted: ground? contacting. sprags detachably andadjustably mounted on said .plates for projectionand. retractionthrough. said-rim-ppem' ings and. having like ground penetrating. ends.adapted, when the sprags: on adjacent. onesaofsaid-platesareinterchanged, to enter therground at a. different angle-fromithatatwhich they entered. the ground.- previous to theirv being; inter-rchanged, projections. on said. pragsinterengageable with one of, aplurality of apertures in said platesior detachably. pro-selectivelylocating said sprags at differentpositions thereon, and fastening meansfor securing thesprags tozthe plates.

2.. The. combination with a wheel, of asprag arrangement, comprising,-aseries of; sprlag: carry-. ing plates securediat. their outer.endsto-the. wheel rim alternatelyat. opposite sides; thereof adjacentsprag. accommodating, openings. in: said. rim and attheir inner.ends'securedtot an axle accommodating. member about a common;circumferentialline-thereon, strengtheningsupportse for said platessecured thereto andto said. rimand said axle accommodating, member, saidsupports: and sprag-carrying; plates. together constituting, the.spokes, of the. wheel. slotted. ground. contacting; sprags. detachablyand adjustably mounted on said splag; carrying plates. forprojectionanda retraction through the rimopenings and. having; likeground. penetrating. ends: adapted, when. the sprags on. adjacent. onesofsaid plates are; in:-- terchanged, to. enter: the ground. at a.difierent, angle.-from.that.at.which they entered-.theground previous totheir being interchanged, proiections, on said; sprags. interengageable,with onerofl a plurality of aperturesv in. said plates forpreselectively locating said sprags at difierent posie tions thereon,and fastening means tor. detach-.

ably securingthe sprags to the; plates.

3. A wlieel. andispragarrangement therefor as: claimed inc1airn.1',.said spragrfaste'ning means. being, permanently, associated.with the. sprag. carrying; plates. 1

4. A wheeli'and'sprag arrangement therefor. as claimed in claim2,..s'aid'.sprag-fastening. means being permanently associated; with.the. sprag,

carrying plates. l

WALTE nowna,

